Herat, Afghanistan – Rick Steves’ Journey Weblog

Sunday, July 30, 1978: Herat 

A dream woke me at 7:30 and by 8:15 I gave up making an attempt to fall again to sleep. Down on the restaurant I loved two fried eggs, yogurt, and a pot of black chai. After cleansing my digital camera lenses, Gene and I got down to see Herat. 

First, we had two items of enterprise — change cash and get bus tickets. The financial institution was actually one thing. It took practically an hour to vary my $100, however simply sitting there watching the Afghani banking course of was fascinating. I noticed suitcases of tattered afghanis, tribesmen coming in with 5 or 6 $100 payments (I’m afraid to think about the place they obtained them), a uniformed guard with a bayonet lengthy sufficient for 5 or 6 financial institution robbers, and a rag-tag constructing and ambiance. I had 3,858 afghanis coming to me. First the man gave me 3,000. I mentioned “extra,” and he gave me 800. “Extra,” and I obtained 50 extra afghanis, after which I requested for and obtained the final 8 afghanis. 

Subsequent, Gene and I booked a bus journey to Kabul on the extremely really useful Qaderi bus firm. The 800-kilometer journey price solely $5 or 200 afghanis. Hopefully, we’ll get our seats and there will likely be no hanky-panky.  

We had been free to ramble. I had a Fanta, placed on the zoom lens, and went into motion on a dreamy aspect avenue full of colourful flowery horse-drawn taxis, busy craftsmen, fruit stands, and mud. Every man who handed regarded like one thing straight out of a journey poster. Robust highly effective eyes behind leathery weather-beaten faces. Poetic wind-blown beards, lengthy and scraggily, and turbans like snakes wrapping protectively round their heads. Outdated girls completely coated by bag-like outfits carried youngsters and known as out, surprisingly sufficient, for photos. I shot off practically an entire roll and, with a bit of luck, I ought to have some great photographs. 

We wandered away from the principle heart coming to a dusty residential space churning with exercise. The individuals are so proud and there’s nobody not very worthy to have their image taken. Everybody was motioning us to come back over, besides for many who had been too proud to acknowledge us. I didn’t actually know the way individuals accepted us unusual, short-panted, pale-skinned, weak-stomached, finnicky individuals who got here into their world to gawk, take photos, and purchase junk to carry residence and inform everybody how low cost it was. I couldn’t assist however really feel like us curious vacationers obtained previous to those hardy, proud individuals who work so onerous and reside so merely. 

There have been numerous moments and scenes that blazed without end in my thoughts, an image of Afghanistan. We labored up a imply thirst and we shared a watermelon within the shade earlier than shifting on. 

A bit drained, we headed again to our beautiful resort, had a plate of potatoes, a bowl of soup, and a few chai (tea) and went up for a bathe and a brief snooze. We’re actually residing properly now for a change. I cashed that $100 and it feels so good to simply spend cash whenever you wish to and never fear. 

Now we went again into the solar. The afternoon temperature was nonetheless cooking and each every now and then we’d soak our heads below a faucet. After mailing our postcards, we checked out a row of the fabric weavers. Arduous-working males ran these ingeniously primitive looms tirelessly. Fairly fascinating to witness. Then, making a large circle, we got here to the large mosque, checked it out, and located ourselves in a neighborhood of very hard-sell retailers.  

One pseudo-friendly man took me by the hand and walked me into his store, and earlier than I knew it, I used to be carrying the great white dishevelled pants and shirt and turban of the native individuals and bargaining madly. I used to be decided to work him down from 500 to my ceiling of 152 afghanis. I virtually made it, however I used to be shocked when he let me stroll away empty handed, a bit unhappy too. I would like these cool, dishevelled, low-profile garments and possibly, if I can swallow my satisfaction, I’ll return tomorrow and get them. 

Like working the gauntlet, we made our method out and in of outlets again to our resort. I attempted and didn’t get a beautiful mink pores and skin low cost. I did provide 200 afghanis for an thrilling Afghan fox hat and ended up shopping for it and I proudly labored a man down from 600 afghanis to 40 every for 3 little properly embroidered pouches. I haven’t purchased any souvenirs to talk of in two months of journey — now I’m afraid I’ve opened the floodgates. 

Again on the resort, Gene pulled out the hunk of cannabis that he purchased and this, I made a decision, can be the time and place that’s I’d lose my “marijuana virginity.” I’ve by no means even smoked a cigarette and smoking pot has at all times turned me off, so to talk, as a result of it’s at all times an object of social stress and I’d by no means really feel comfy doing it as a result of everybody at a celebration was doing it and I used to be the one “sq.” one. That type of stress and the same old scene surrounding pot smoking strengthened my willpower to avoid the evil weed. However this was totally different. 

In Afghanistan, cannabis is an integral a part of the tradition. It’s as harmless as wine with dinner is in America. If ever I used to be to expertise this excessive, it wouldn’t be in a darkish dorm room on the UW with a bunch of individuals I didn’t respect. I might by no means be ok with that.  

Gene and I talked about marijuana and hash for about three hours on the bus after we left Istanbul. I made a decision that, if I felt good about the entire scenario, I’d wish to smoke some hash in Afghanistan. Effectively, right here I’m in Herat, I really feel nice, and I really like this city. We obtained about half a domino price of pure cannabis for 40 afghanis ($1). It was so clean it needed to be sliced with a knife. 

Up within the room, Gene combined it with some tobacco and piled the product right into a humorous previous straight wooden pipe we picked up. He took a drag — instantly remarking, “Good things”. I sucked in not realizing what to anticipate and hoping to not get a mouth stuffed with ashes. I don’t like smoke, however apart from that, there was nothing repulsive about it. It didn’t even odor unhealthy like marijuana. The one drawback was nothing occurred. I had smoked sufficient, however virgin runs are usually unproductive. It felt good in any case — I had achieved it. 

We went out for a stroll. Going from store to buy very casually. Mixing with individuals, nosing into retailers, and simply poking round. This place is small, nevertheless it actually doesn’t matter as a result of no avenue is ever the identical should you stroll via it a second or third time. 

For dinner we sat outdoors of our restaurant since there was a particular marriage ceremony tonight within the huge room. We had a plate of a lot of totally different greens with a lot of meat washed down by tea for $1.50 every. 

Upstairs we smoked a bit extra and took a chilly bathe. This time I sensed a little bit of a change. Sure colours and objects had been extra tangy. Issues had a vibrant edge that I didn’t understand was an possibility. I used to be very relaxed and the sunshine fixture on our ceiling regarded like an enormous candle respiratory out and in. However I nonetheless wasn’t actually excessive. 

Downstairs the large marriage ceremony had begun, and the bride’s father proudly shook my hand welcoming Gene and me and we sat subsequent to the little Afghan band listening to the thrilling music and watching the ladies dance. Everybody was fairly formal, the lads had been in a single room, the ladies within the different, and the embellished automotive waited parked outdoors. 

Now we took a nighttime stroll. Chariots with torches charged via the darkness, males carried lanterns, shopkeepers and the work boys squatted round soup and bread, many Afghans had been excessive or getting there, it was cool, and, like at all times, the wind howled. The evening was an important expertise and we wandered. 

After a small melon, trying out the marriage as soon as extra, a chilly bathe with our sheets and making a pleasant moist mattress, we commented on what day at this time was and, trying ahead to tomorrow and wrapped in moist sheets, we went to sleep.